two points for honesty

April 24th, 2008 · 226 comments

writes our anonymous submitter: “i work as a payment processor for a local ambulance company. i see lots of notes scribbled on bills, but this one was a first. at least he/she is honest! :)”

related: three cents for the saliva

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FILED UNDER: michigan · money · raging against the machine · smiley

226 responses so far ↓

#1 Alban

No, but their debt collectors probably can. Or an offer of no service unless it is paid (being an ambulance and all)

Apr 24, 2008 at 2:30 am rating: 0

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- #1.1 Tyler
  
  It’s kind of hard to bill people before you give them an ambulance ride. With the bleeding and all. (Unless it’s one of those fun ambulance rides where you ask them to take you around the block with the sirens on just for kicks. Those are usually pre-paid)
  
  And is that bill only $241/341? That is one cheap ambulance ride!!! Must have been across the street.
  
  Apr 24, 2008 at 3:17 am rating: +1
- #1.2 Ricehead
  
  No shit!
  I live exactly 1/2 mile from our local hospital and when my father was carted away in the ambulance, it was billed out at over $800.00!!!!
  
  I think they should bill out like a taxi, with an initial charge of say $100, and $100 for each additional 10 minutes or ten miles.
  
  Apr 24, 2008 at 6:16 am rating: 0
- #1.3 pry
  
  sometimes they charge (as in my case, for example) to transmit you from one side of the hospital to the other, by ambulance. like if the hospital spans two sides of the street, and they aren’t allowed to let you walk. that’s the only reason i could figure that it would be this cheap.
  
  Apr 24, 2008 at 8:39 am rating: 0
- #1.4 Joe
  
  I don’t think they can deny emergency services, such as an ambulance.
  
  But I’m sure they can work out a way to extract the necessary funds. I hear the human body has two kidneys….
  
  Apr 24, 2008 at 8:47 am rating: +4
- #1.5 prairielily
  
  My brother’s ambulance cost $45, and they had to take him to the children’s hospital on the complete opposite end of the city. I guess he is a minor, though.
  
  Apr 24, 2008 at 7:13 pm rating: 0
- #1.6 laurie
  
  $45 before or after insurance?
  
  Used to work for an insurance company. They charge SOMEONE a few hundred dollars.
  
  Apr 25, 2008 at 3:36 am rating: 0
- #1.7 lissa
  
  That is expensive to me. Ambulances here cost 50-75 total, and my insurance covers 80% of that.
  
  Apr 25, 2008 at 9:04 am rating: 0
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#2 Robin

Right on. Payment for ambulances indeed.

Apr 24, 2008 at 3:27 am rating: 0

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#3 Crash

Awe damn…That’s just too Awesome !!!
LOL…

Apr 24, 2008 at 3:31 am rating: 0

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#4 Crash

She / He could have been unresponsive and unable consent at the time the ambulance was needed.
Which makes it a consent in those cases.
So on that take,
she / he owes them her / his life.
But I guess they can’t take that, can they…?

Apr 24, 2008 at 3:37 am rating: 0

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- #4.1 Gez
  
  They didn’t say that they shouldn’t have to pay the bill, only that they wouldn’t… to be fair.
  
  Apr 24, 2008 at 2:31 pm rating: 0
- #4.2 Gez
  
  Crash, I like how you try really hard to avoid using singular ‘they’ but blow it in the last sentence. Contrary to what some pedants think, there is nothing wrong with using ‘they’ as a singular third person pronoun if you don’t know the gender of the subject.
  
  Apr 24, 2008 at 2:31 pm rating: 0
- #4.3 Crash
  
  Cool, cool…
  Good to know.
  But the “them” and both of the “they’s”
  were not in reference to the subject…
  It was in reference to the EMT’s / bill collectors which are more often plural.
  
  Apr 24, 2008 at 2:52 pm rating: +4
- #4.4 Mishee
  
  I’m gonna guess since it’s in Michigan, and not say, Portland, OR that the gender of the post-it writer is female.
  
  All it needs is a little pink penis drawn on it to make it complete.
  
  Apr 24, 2008 at 2:53 pm rating: +1
- #4.5 Crash
  
  Who’s calling who a pedant ?!?
  Anyway…
  
  Apr 24, 2008 at 3:17 pm rating: 0
- #4.6 Crash
  
  And I can read the note Gez.
  I was building a scenario for the idea that she / he would owe “them” ( EMT’s ) not only a monetary debt but also her / his own life which “they” ( bill collectors ) can’t take as payment in retribution for the non payment of the bill.
  
  Apr 24, 2008 at 4:04 pm rating: +1
- #4.7 Bellabeastie
  
  Yeah, Gez, you leave Crash alone.
  
  And try on a sense of humor while you’re at it.
  
  Oh, wait. Nevermind. It won’t fit anyway.
  
  Apr 24, 2008 at 7:11 pm rating: +3
- #4.8 Crash
  
  Hey Bella,
  How you doing ?
  LOL !!
  
  Apr 24, 2008 at 7:21 pm rating: +1
- #4.9 Crash
  
  Pedant : one who makes a show of knowledge.
  
  Gez,
  I like how you try really hard to not sound like a “pedant” while you misread and critique my entire post…
  That’s pretty awesome of you.
  Thanks for your efforts though.
  
  Apr 24, 2008 at 8:54 pm rating: 0
- #4.10 Meaghan
  
  Is that true though, about being able to use ‘they’ if I don’t know the gender of the person? I’ve always been told that I was wrong when I did that, but saying he/she is so freakin’ tedious!
  
  Apr 24, 2008 at 9:56 pm rating: 0
- #4.11 bellabeastie
  
  Hey — zzup Crash So nice to have our high school English Teacher here to critique the posts.
  
  Team Maybe We Can Get Him A J.O.B. With The National Enquirer As An Editor.
  
  (speaking as a pedant, you know)
  
  Or would that be “speaking pedanticaly” ? gosh, help me here. I only have a small grasp of the US English as it is… and I probably got an “F” for punctuation. xoxxo
  
  Apr 24, 2008 at 10:10 pm rating: +1
- #4.12 bellabeastie
  
  Meaghan — Your English Teacher has taken the day off to go golfing —
  
  Get your Degree In Whatever…tedious is what It Is. Get used to it.
  That’s What They Pay For… go do your homework.
  
  Apr 24, 2008 at 10:53 pm rating: 0
- #4.13 Canthz_B
  
  smirks and whispers well done as he leaves this in capable hands
  
  I wish I were there when Crash had your back, Bella. He really handled his handles on that one!
  
  Apr 24, 2008 at 11:21 pm rating: +1
- #4.14 anglophile
  
  Er, sorry. I am an unabashed pedant, and as such it is my duty to tell you that historically, they and their has been used as gender-neutral singular pronouns for much of Modern English’s history and only recently has the s/he bit been taught.
  
  I’m not a big enough pedant to say how recently. I will say, however, that since I learned this little tidbit, I have boldly and unashamedly used they instead of he/she. Who wants to join the revolution with me?
  
  Apr 24, 2008 at 11:36 pm rating: +2
- #4.15 Crash
  
  LOL,
  It’s cool glo…
  I have nothing against a true pedant.
  But if you’re ( as in Gez ) going to critique me and act as if you’re educating pedants yourself…
  ( which I don’t claim to be )
  Then for Chris’ sakes…
  Read my post right !
  That’s all.
  If you’re gonn’a make a show of knowledge have the right information to do it…
  Then I’ll take you seriously.
  
  And I always take you seriously glo.
  ‘Sup bella
  
  Apr 25, 2008 at 12:08 am rating: 0
- #4.16 bellabeastie
  
  I’m all over the revolution on this. Seriously, thanks, anglo ! “boldly and unashamedly” ??
  
  CB — what can I say? I read all of the later posts.. You Rule.
  
  I Think I have a Problem With Capitalization.
  
  is there a help group for that?
  
  just asking.
  
  Apr 25, 2008 at 12:18 am rating: 0
- #4.17 bellabeastie
  
  HELP ME… Lol… I promise to stress lower-case pedancy in the future.
  
  “pendancy” (If it, in fact that is a word) - and I am too tired to Google — pendantics ?
  
  PA-antics. ‘das it.
  
  Apr 25, 2008 at 12:35 am rating: 0
- #4.18 Crash
  
  LOL !!
  You okay there bella ? …lol
  
  Apr 25, 2008 at 12:49 am rating: 0
- #4.19 Canthz_B
  
  I think the she/he thing started in the late 1970’s, anglo, but I’m just guessing because my psych professor said that it was “new” in 1980.
  
  Apr 25, 2008 at 12:56 am rating: 0
- #4.20 bellabeastie
  
  totally Sleepified…
  
  Another word I made up and probably mis-spelled.. thanks for asking.
  
  no caps tho! I may be out of the woods on that! LOL
  
  Apr 25, 2008 at 1:36 am rating: 0
- #4.21 Meaghan
  
  Bella, were you intending to offend me, or my English teacher, with that comment?
  
  Not to be bitchy, but you lost me somewhere around… well, golfing.
  Who is paying whom? They pay my English teacher to golf? Or for me to do my homework? Or to get a degree in whatever?
  
  Apr 25, 2008 at 2:29 am rating: 0
- #4.22 Crash
  
  I choose all of the above !!
  
  Apr 25, 2008 at 2:37 am rating: 0
- #4.23 bellabeastie
  
  Go away and do your effin homework.
  
  If you don’t understand it, then you have no reason to be here because I have no reason to explain myself to you.
  
  Answer E: All Of The Above
  
  P.S. You pass (out) next.
  
  Apr 25, 2008 at 4:08 am rating: 0
- #4.24 bellabeastie
  
  Dear Meaghan- Brandy-Tiffany-Courtney: Shouldn’t someone contact the people who are paying for this so-called education to see what their hard-earned dollars hath wrought?
  
  Apr 25, 2008 at 4:27 am rating: 0
- #4.25 DirtyOldLady
  
  If we’re going to be pedantic about the use of he/she, I hope y’all won’t mind if I pitch in my two cents based on my memory… being an old lady, I was right there in the grammatical trenches of elementary school when we all started using the “he or she” construct (later followed by suggestions like he/she, s/he, (s)he, and zie). Before that, it was not considered proper American grammar to use “they” as a singular, third-person word. When using the singular, third-person word where the person you were referring to might be of either gender, it was considered proper to use “he.” Part of the Feminist movement focused on the power of words, and thus school children all over America were forced to add “or she.” Ultimately, we didn’t mind, though, because it really helped pad an essay out if you didn’t really have much to say.
  
  Apr 25, 2008 at 7:25 am rating: 0
- #4.26 Meaghan
  
  Oh, I see. Now you’re comparing me to the stereotypical dumb blonde because you couldn’t form a complete sentence when you tried to insult me.
  
  Excuse me for asking for clarification in my original post. There was no need for you to tell me to go “do my homework”, a simple “Yes, that’s correct,” or “No, use he/she,” would have been adequate.
  
  Go re-read your post and tell me if you understand it. Here, I’ll help break it down for you, and explain where I didn’t understand.
  
  “Meaghan — Your English Teacher has taken the day off to go golfing —”
  (I see this as an insult towards my English teacher. It’s implying that if they are off golfing, they aren’t able to teach me, so my presumed ignorance wasn’t under my control. Therefore, not insulting to me.)
  
  Get your Degree In Whatever…tedious is what It Is. Get used to it.
  (Where exactly do I find a “Degree In Whatever”? This sounds like an intriguing object that I would be interested in acquiring.
  
  And what “Is It” that is so tedious, and I am to get used to? My Degree In Whatever?
  
  For that matter, I said nothing about post-secondary education. For you to assume that I should get a degree in say, hamburger flipping, because I asked for clarification about grammar is just rude. Although I must thank you for specifying degree over diploma - you at least assumed that I am able to attend university.)
  
  That’s What They Pay For… go do your homework.
  (That’s What They Pay For - huh? Again I ask, who is paying whom? Earlier you said my English teacher was golfing, so I asked if they paid her to golf. It’s a valid question, considering the ambiguity of your statement.
  Or maybe they pay for my Degree In Whatever to be tedious?)
  Colour me confused.
  
  (Oh, and insert little pink penises here. )
  
  Apr 25, 2008 at 12:21 pm rating: +1
- #4.27 Mishee
  
  OMG Meaghan, you make me want to change the name of my firstborn…
  
  Grow up and get over it. I don’t understand why every little thing said to you has to be blown way out of porportion and into some huge issue.
  
  And now you analyzing every single sentence of Crash’s comment…
  
  I see someone here who takes their internet conversations a little too seriously.
  
  But now that I see you say “Colour” I see you are probably not American, so alot of this can be forgiven, but on the other hand, your attitude cannot. I am seriously thinking of getting The Unitard back from SarcasticMonkey and giving it to you for all of time.
  
  Apr 25, 2008 at 1:11 pm rating: 0
- #4.28 Meaghan
  
  Mishee, I didn’t say anything about Crash’s comment.
  
  I was honestly asking if it was true that you can use “they” if you are unsure of the gender of the single person you are referring to, because I had been told otherwise in the past. I wanted to know because I hate saying he/she all the time.
  
  That’s all. I wanted a “yes” or a “no”. Simple as that.
  
  Apr 25, 2008 at 9:38 pm rating: 0
- #4.29 Meaghan
  
  Okay, looking back, my inner Bitch-Monster-From-Hell may have taken over at 4.26, and so I agree that my comments to Bella were uncalled for.
  However, I think Bella’s comment to me (4.12) was just as uncalled for - it came out of nowhere. I asked a question. She didn’t have to respond to it.
  
  Apr 26, 2008 at 12:12 am rating: 0
- #4.30 bob
  
  @gez
  
  William Safire has written that “when enough of us are wrong, we’re right.”
  
  http://www.ncte.org/about/over/positions/category/lang/107647.htm,
  specifically this statement about one-third of the way down the page:
  
  “(4.) Use of the singular they/their form. This construction is becoming increasingly acceptable. However, classroom teachers need to be aware that state and/or national assessments may not regard this construction as correct.”
  
  –The Grammar Police - Serving and protecting since the inception of the internet.
  
  Apr 27, 2008 at 8:41 pm rating: +1
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#5 RALPHY

The thug they send out to break both legs, thus creating a need for another ride, might lead to a rather dicy situation.

Apr 24, 2008 at 5:27 am rating: +2

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#6 Izzy

They make you PAY for a ride in an ambulance? Even in an EMERGENCY? I totally agree with the bill-payer.

Apr 24, 2008 at 5:40 am rating: 0

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- #6.1 RD
  
  They do!
  
  Honestly I don’t know why this person is upset–I’ve had higher bills for a cut in my foot and a trip to the ER.
  
  Apr 24, 2008 at 5:43 am rating: 0
- #6.2 amazon
  
  In the U.S., ambulances are private companies (as opposed to be being a government service). They have to make money somehow, or else we would have no ambulances, and paramedics can’t be everywhere. However, if you have good health insurance, it will usually cover ambulance trips in an emergency.
  
  Team get some g-damn health insurance!
  
  Apr 24, 2008 at 12:36 pm rating: 0
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#7 kmd

Is the smiley an indication of the good health the person is now enjoying because of the ambulance ride?

Apr 24, 2008 at 6:34 am rating: 0

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#8 DirtyOldLady

I love the smiley here, but this note is missing the “neener neener neener” at the end.

Apr 24, 2008 at 6:43 am rating: 0

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- #8.1 aaa
  
  I think they should’ve enclosed a photo of them sticking their tongue out.
  
  Apr 24, 2008 at 10:02 am rating: 0
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#9 Resident Grammarian esq

I think they should repossess her.

Apr 24, 2008 at 7:47 am rating: +1

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- #9.1 aaa
  
  Naw, they just need to repossess all the medical services they provided her. “I’m sorry ma’am, but we’re taking back your stitches due to nonpayment.”
  
  Apr 24, 2008 at 10:04 am rating: 0
- #9.2 amazon
  
  Wasn’t Paris Hilton in a movie like that, called “Repo” or something? What ever happened to that movie? What a surprise it didn’t make it to wide release on the big screen.
  
  Apr 24, 2008 at 12:39 pm rating: 0
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#10 Mishee

I personally do the same thing, except I like to do it over the phone… so I suppose that means I am just aggressive? Who, ME? No way!

Apr 24, 2008 at 7:47 am rating: +1

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#11 poochie

Shit, paying for an ambulance? Paying for basic medical needs? Emergency medical needs?

Where exactly is the line that civilisation stops at in America? Apart from the Texas state line.

Apr 24, 2008 at 8:00 am rating: +2

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- #11.1 Katie
  
  “Where exactly is the line that civilisation stops at in America? Apart from the Texas state line.”
  
  Oh, ha ha! That was so funny! Not.
  
  Apr 24, 2008 at 10:08 am rating: 0
- #11.2 poochie
  
  A Texan without a sense of humour? More shockingly, a Texan who can read…
  
  Apr 24, 2008 at 2:31 pm rating: +1
- #11.3 Get off my lawn!
  
  Texas is awesome.
  
  Obviously you’ve never been to Texas, or met a real Texan.
  
  And no, POTUS does not count. Any person that says they enjoy “clearing brush” is not a Texan.
  
  Apr 24, 2008 at 4:50 pm rating: 0
- #11.4 bellabeastie
  
  Texas Is …. well, I deleted most of my comment because I don’t want to “hear It” from Texans. Because I truly don’t care. And I will avoid Texas like the Plague. If I never have to go there again in my lifetime, I will be happy.
  
  Urgg. But the B-B-Que recipes are good.
  
  Ypiee-Ki-Yo-Ki-YAY!! Snap.
  
  Apr 24, 2008 at 10:30 pm rating: 0
- #11.5 bellabeastie
  
  Done.
  
  Apr 24, 2008 at 10:38 pm rating: 0
- #11.6 poochie
  
  You’re right, Texas is awesome. I was at UT Austin for 8 months a couple of years ago as an exchange.
  
  I don’t even think you’re from Texas, otherwise you would actually have a sense of humour. If you are, you’re probably from some douchey Hicksville where the same system is repeated worldwide, i.e. you get defensive over absolutely nothing because you know the reality is that your hometown sucks balls, but you haven’t the desire to change your situation, having learned helplessness from the sheer awfulness of your situation.
  
  Marx would call it false consciousness.
  
  Apr 25, 2008 at 3:40 pm rating: 0
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#12 Abs

I can’t believe you have to pay to go in an ambulance. I knew you had to pay for medical care in the US, and that’s offensive enough, for for an ambulance?!

Apr 24, 2008 at 8:04 am rating: 0

painfully polite and hilariously hostile writings from shared spaces the world over

two points for honesty

April 24th, 2008 · 226 comments

226 responses so far ↓